Attachment for chairs.



PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

V. M. HOLLYDAY. ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1905.

ATTORNEYS UNITED ST AT E S PATENT QFFICE.

ATTACHMENT FOR CHAEHS.

No. 810,277. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed April 4, 1905. Serial N01253f768.

To @L7/Z whom, it 7mo/y 0011/007711:

Be it known that LVIRGINIA l/I. HoLLYDAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have i made an Improved Attachment for Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved attachment for chairs for facilitating conversation be- 3 tween persons whose hearing is impaired. I apply speaking-tubes to a double chair or seat, which is preferably of the vis-a-vis type, in such manner that persons seated on opposite sides of the central support or division between the seats may converse b v means of the i speaking-tubes while supported comfortably and even while their hands may be used for work, since they are not required to support a mouthpiece or ear-tube.

The construction and arrangement of my improved attachment is as hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a double or vis-a-vis seat provided with the attachment. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the portion of the chair or seat provided with the attachment. Fig. 3 is a plan View illustrating a modification.

In Figs. l and 2, A and A' indicate a double chair or seat of the vis--vis type, the fronts and backs of the same being respectively on opposite sides. My invention is applied to the portion B of the frame which intervenes or separates the two seats, and in this instance it is an attachment in the form of a horizontal bar C, having lateral projections c', the same conforming in arrangement and curvature to the frame B, to which it is secured. The ends of' the bar C are turned down and secured permanently to the curved frame B, and a post c supports the central portion of the bar. At the point of junction of said post with the bar C two lateral projections c are arranged, the same extending in opposite directions and each forming a part of my improved attachment-that is to say, a passage c2 extends from one side of each lateral projection c through the base of the same and through the connected portion of the bar C. The termini of the passages are indicated by a' and y, respectively, being the enlarged or flared end into which a person speaks and z/ being the end at which the ear of the other person is placed. By preference the projections c are so made or formed that they apl pear to be natural attachments of the chairi frame, and thus would not excite attention of the ordinary observer. It will be seen that i two persons seated on the opposite seats A A' l and whose hearing is too much impaired to allow conversation in an ordinary tone may converse with great convenience by placing their mouths at the points in which ease one ear will be opposite and adjacent to the point y, so that what is spoken by one person is transmitted directly to the ear of the other in the same manner as when a portable eartrumpet is used. Each person may conveniently lean his head against the adjacent portion of the bar C, so that it will be supported without wearying him. The projections c are reduced at the inner end, thus forming tenons and shoulders whereby they are held firmly in a bore or socket of the bar C, and braced laterally, so that they will not be dislodged in ordinary use. In case the chair be constructed in rustic form the projection c will be of the same character, and thus form ornamental and not obtrusive attachments.

In Fig. 3 I illustrate a modification in which hearing and speaking tubes o3 have a flexible extension provided with a tapered mouthpiece. The extensions are represented as pendent and may have a length of ten or twelve inches or more, if desired.

For accommodation of persons of different size or height the seats A and A' may be provided with one or more cushions, which will be adjusted as required, or the portion to which the attachment is applied may be made vertically adjustable, so as to accommodate itself to the persons occupying opposite seats.

l. A double seat of the vis-a-vis type having a central support between the seats proper, the same being provided with two passages serving as hearing and speaking tubes and having open mouths which project rearward on opposite sides of the central support so that each set of such mouths is available for hearing and speaking bythe person occupying the contiguous seat, substantially as described.

2. An improved article of furniture, comprising a double seat having backs and an intervening or middle portion forming a continuation thereof, and a horizontal bar C forml ing a rigid attachment of such middle portion, and provided with passages opening on IOO opposite sides ofthe bar and arranged for conthe contiguous seat, the opposite end of thc venience of use for hearing and speaking in passage opening on the other side of the 10 the rnnner described. l I frame, as and for the purpose speciied. 3. f seat com risino' two seats ro er anc t f a rigid Vertical graniehintervenin tde same i VIRGINIA M' HOLLX DAY' and having at the top lateral projections each Witnesses: provided with a passage opening at one end l ELIZABETH STEWART, on the rear side thereof or toward the back of MINNIE HoLLYDAY. 

